1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to golf clubs and more particularly to a novel arrangement for mounting a laser aiming system in a putter.
2. Description of Related Art
Golf club laser aiming systems which provide golf club putters with laser aiming beams are well known in the art. Such systems are used by golfers as training aids when practicing putting. It is also generally accepted that a golfer achieves optimum putting practice on an actual putting green using the same putter as will be used on the course. Both private and public golf courses typically have practice greens so that a golfer may practice with his or her putter before going out to play a round of golf. Practice greens are maintained to replicate the greens on the course and thereby provide a player the opportunity to practice putting speed and putting direction under actual playing conditions.
Putting speed is partially a function of the condition of the green and partially a function of the head weight and feel of the putter. Putting direction is a function of the golfer's perception of proper club alignment, that is, how he or she aims the putter at the hole. Typically, a putter is properly aimed and aligned for a straight putt when the face of the putter is centered behind the ball and is perpendicular to the desired line or path of the ball.
On the practice green, a golfer gets a sense of the speed of the green by noting the speed of his or her actual putt. Similarly, a golfer develops a sense of proper club alignment by aiming his or her putter at a practice green pin located in the center of a practice green hole and after aiming the club and striking the ball, noting the actual direction of his or her putt.
The appearance of the club-ball relationship, the weight of the club head and the general feel of the putter are important factors which influence the development of a successful and repeatable putting stroke. Therefore, as was previously indicated, it is desirable for golfers to practice with the same putter they routinely use on the golf course. Further, because golfers are particular about the overall appearance of their clubs, it is desirable that any aiming device be completely concealed within the club. It is also desirable that the aiming device be suitable for use on a putting green without the need for constant and complicated laser beam aiming adjustments.
The following United States Patents show prior art aiming systems to which the present invention is applicable:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,868, which issued on Jul. 9, 1991 to Marion M. Cloud, discloses a putter laser aiming system which includes a high intensity light source located in the grip portion of a club. The light source directs a light beam down the hollow portion of the shaft through fiber optic cables which terminate in lenses mounted in the face of the putter. The disclosure delineates two lens arrangements. The first is a two lens configuration having a lens in the club face on either side of a golf ball positioned to be struck at the center of the club's face. The second is a one lens configuration having a single lens at the approximate point at which the club face impacts the ball. The patent also discloses a target with a reflective surface designed to be positioned at a distance from the user to indicate the alignment of the club face as determined by the direction of the projected light beams. It does not, however, provide a laser aiming arrangement for use on a typical practice green. The two beam configuration disclosed cannot be aimed at a single pin and the one beam configuration, intended for practicing club alignment without a ball, cannot be aimed at a pin with a ball in position to be putted because the emitter is located on the face of the club in the path of the ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,691, which issued on Nov. 24, 1992 to Jon C. Cook, discloses a golf club laser aiming system which comprises one or two laser generators mounted on the club head with the associated power source mounted in the club handle. It does not specifically address the problem of mounting a concealed laser aiming system within the club which provides a laser beam projecting from the club directly above and essentially parallel to the desired path of a struck golf ball. In addition, the two parallel light beams as disclosed cannot be conveniently used to practice club alignment on a practice green having cups fitted with individual hole marking pins.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,150, which issued on Dec. 8, 1992 to John C. Tindale, discloses a single laser beam generator externally attached to a club head which emits a laser beam at essentially the point on the face of the head where the ball is struck by the club face. The laser beam, as described in the disclosure, is aimed at a target having a graduated measuring scale so that the user of the club may calibrate a sighting line on the putter to compensate his or her inherently misaligned putting stroke. It does not provide a solution for mounting a laser within the club. In the arrangement disclosed, the club head cannot be aimed at a pin on a putting green with the golf ball in position to be putted because of the location of the laser emitter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,812, which issued on Mar. 16, 1993 to Mark W. Hendricksen, discloses a laser aiming device which attaches to a club head by means of a fixed mounting bracket. The laser aiming device and associated bracket are located on the top of the head to provide a laser beam in a direction perpendicular to and above the club face and above the desired location on the club face for striking the ball. One of the disadvantages of this disclosure is that it adds a distracting and heavy appurtenance to the head of the club. It does not address the problem of concealing the laser generator in the club in order to avoid affecting the appearance and feel of the putter. In addition, the mounting bracket and laser module are affixed to the putter such that they not only affect the appearance and inertia of the club head but are also easily damaged when the putter is carried in a typical golf bag with other clubs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,331, which issued on Mar. 25, 1993 to Frank Avanzini, discloses a laser aiming device which attaches to a club head by means of an adjustable mounting bracket. The laser unit and its associated bracket are adjustable in a vertical plane perpendicular to the putter's ball striking surface so that the laser beam may be projected over the top of a golf ball onto a putting surface at select distances forwardly of the golf ball. It does not disclose a means by which a laser aiming device can be concealed within a club thereby eliminating the need for an external mounting bracket.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,228, which issued on Jun. 8, 1993 to Juan De Aguilar, discloses a golf club having a head, a grip and a shaft which includes a laser generator and a reflecting mirror mounted in the shaft so as to emit a laser beam in a horizontal direction from a point in the shaft midway between the head and the grip. The laser beam is projected substantially above and offset to either the right or to the left (to the right for a right handed player and to the left for a left handed player) and parallel to the intended path of a golf ball after being struck by the club.
In a first aspect of the disclosure, the beam is projected by a fixed mirror in the direction as described above. In a second aspect, instead of being fixed to the shaft by means of a stud, the mirror is mounted on a rod which extends across the shaft thereby allowing the angle of the mirror and thus the direction of the laser beam to be adjusted in one axis. In both aspects, there are disadvantages when De Aguilar's mirror and laser arrangements are employed to aim a putter at a pin on a practice green.
The geometry of the fixed mirror configuration is such that its offset laser beam cannot be aimed at a single pin centered in a hole while maintaining the club face perpendicular to the intended path of the ball Being able to aim the laser beam at the pin while maintaining the face of the club perpendicular to the theoretically ideal line of the putt is a requirement of a properly aimed straight putt which is not met by the fixed mirror arrangement. The preceding alignment shortcoming is a disadvantage when employing De Aguilar's fixed mirror embodiment to practice putting.
The geometry of De Aguilar's adjustable mirror configuration requires a unique vertical and a unique horizontal angle setting for each putt of varying distance. The disclosure of De Aguilar does not teach a gimbal mounting arrangement capable of providing angle adjustments in two axes. The aforementioned aiming problem is a disadvantage when employing the adjustable mirror embodiment of De Aguilar to practice putting.
As can be seen from the foregoing, there is a definite need for a golf club putter with a laser aiming system which does not significantly add to the weight of the club's head and which is concealed within the club so as not to affect the club's appearance. In addition, a system is needed which does not incorporate laser beams emitted from the striking face of the club in order to avoid damage to collimating lenses mounted on the striking surface. Also, a system is needed which enables the user to aim the laser at a pin with the ball in position to be putted. In summary, a putter with a laser aiming system is required that can be conveniently used on a practice green without constant beam adjustment and then taken on the course and used in a regular game of golf.